There is a digital disconnect in the construction industry these days. Many companies have blueprints drafted for initiating or expanding ecommerce but are finding it problematic to build the digital commerce experience their buyers want, says new research from applications developer and service company Sana Commerce.

84% of companies in the industry predict they will sell 100% of their products online in the future, and 75% of professionals in the construction sector plan to increase their investment in digital transformation as a result of the disruption they’ve faced this year. 60% of construction companies also agreed their industry was already behind others in adopting digital technology, according to Sana Commerce.

But many building and construction companies are not building and maintaining the kinds of digital commerce sites and experiences that meet or exceed buyers’ expectations. When asked which customer experience challenges still plague B2B purchasing in the construction

industry, only 5% of buyers cited no notable issues and 43% rank their supplier relationships among their top customer experience challenges.

“B2B construction industry buyers are understandably more demanding, more impatient, and more convenience-driven than ever before,” says Sana Commerce president Michiel Schipperus. Unfortunately, in the rush to pull web stores online, many suppliers have failed to prioritize the ecommerce customer experience.”

The biggest issues identified were usability and misinformation challenges, including lack of data, inaccurate data, and overly complicated re-ordering and checkout processes. “Buyers’ challenges with delivery and tracking, as well as payment terms, were more pervasive than in any other industry, (including food and beverage, electronics, medical supplies,” the report says.

“The pace of digital transformation has threatened to deem traditional construction businesses obsolete for years,” Schipperus says. “As early as 2019, 70% of companies in the industry believed those not adopting digital ways of working would go out of business, while another 60% agreed the construction sector was already behind others in adopting digital technology.

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